1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an information processing system, an information apparatus, a macro executing method, and a storage medium. In particular, the present invention relates to an information processing system in which a first information apparatus and a second information apparatus holding at least one macro indicative of a procedure for executing a plurality of functions are connected to each other via a network, an information apparatus constituting the information processing system, a macro executing method applied to the information processing system and the information apparatus, and a storage medium storing a program for causing a computer to execute the macro executing method.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, a multi-function printer (multi-function apparatus, hereinafter referred to as “MFP”) has a printer function, a facsimile transmitting and receiving function, an electronic mail transmitting and receiving function, and so on in addition to a copy function so as to improve the working efficiency.
With the increases in the functions of the MFPs, items that have to be set by users via operating sections of the MFPs have increased. To cope with this, a macro function of recording operations performed by a user and allocating the recorded contents to one operation key has been proposed so as to improve the operability.
Examples of MFPs having the macro function include a first MFP proposed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication (Kokai) No. H05-246111 and a second MFP proposed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication (Kokai) No. H08-329338. In the first MFP, the types of operation keys that have been depressed continuously and the order in which they have been depressed are registered as a macro (processing procedure) using key codes generated in response to depression of operation keys, and when a call key for this macro is depressed, this macro is executed. In the second MFP, while the MFP is being caused to actually carry out an executing process, this executing process is registered as a macro so as to prevent a macro registration error.
There are cases where macros as mentioned above are distributed to a plurality of MFPs via a network or external storage devices. However, because of differences in optional arrangements and security-related circumstances of the MFPs, executable functions vary depending on the MFPs in many cases. For this reason, there is the problem that a macro is distributed to an MFP that cannot execute the macro and the problem that a macro of which execution is instructed from one macro to the other MFP cannot be executed by the other MFP.
In consideration of such problems, there has conventionally been adopted an arrangement in which, when an MFP executes a macro including functions unsupported by the MFP, the MFP ignores the functions. For example, in the case where an MFP that does not support a character recognizing function executes a macro including the character recognizing function as well as an electronic mail transmitting function, the MFP executes only electronic mail transmission without carrying out character recognition.
Each of the above-described conventional MFPs is arranged such that, in executing a macro including functions unsupported by the MFP, the MFP ignores the unsupported functions. However, there has been the problem that users of the conventional MFPs are not notified of the ignorance of such unsupported functions. Specifically, an MFP that is trying to execute a macro held by another MFP has no information relating to functions included in the macro, and hence the MFP cannot provide a user in advance with information relating to functions to be ignored. Also, the MFP cannot reflect a user's intent as to whether to permit the ignorance of unsupported functions.